Die Hard is Becoming an Illustrated Christmas Storybook

It appears that the adventures of John McClane, played by Bruce Willis, will soon be returning – not as a new Die Hard film, however, but as a children’s storybook. The original Die Hard film, which is responsible for kicking off the action career of Willis, has spawned four sequels, with Die Hard 6 currently in the works. Few would have expected that the next title to come out of the franchise would be an illustrated Christmas book for children, but that is exactly the case.

Although not everyone is in agreement that Die Hard is actually a Christmas movie in the traditional sense, it’s arguable that a huge number of fans of the classic 1988 action film hold a special place for it in their annual lists of must-see holiday films. This being the case, an illustrated Christmas book is perhaps one of the best ways to further solidify Die Hard as a true holiday classic – despite its massive explosions, fierce gunfights and maniacal gang of terrorists.

The book has been revealed courtesy of website Gizmodo, allowing fans to get their first glimpses of exactly what A Die Hard Christmas: The Illustrated Holiday Classic will look like. Written by Doogie Horner and illustrated by JJ Harrison, the book certainly has a tongue-in-cheek quality about it, as the illustrations are sure to make any Die Hard fan smile. Amazon will be selling the hardcover book as of October 17 and is currently accepting pre-orders. The synopsis of the 32-page storybook is as follows:

All John McClane wants for Christmas is to reunite with his estranged family. But when his wife’s office holiday party turns into a deadly hostage situation, he has to save her life before he can get home in time for Christmas!

The unconventional fan-favorite movie Die Hard is now an illustrated storybook—complete with machine guns, European terrorists, and a cop who’s forced to rely on all his cunning and skills (and the help of a fellow officer) to save the day. Based on the classic “Night Before Christmas” poem and filled with whimsical illustrations, this cleverly reimagined homage is destined to become a holiday classic.

The fact that the book is based on The Night Before Christmas gives it even more of a holiday feel, so those who are expecting a direct recreation of the film itself may feel a little disappointed. That being said, classic scenes from Die Hard are included in the book, such as the corpse of a terrorist with the sweater that reads “Now I Have A Machine Gun HO HO HO,” or John McClane leaping from the exploding roof of Nakatomi Towers, secured only by a fire hose.

And although it’s advertised as a children’s book, the truth of the matter is that it’s likely no more child friendly than the film itself. At any rate, this is one more step toward making Die Hard a completely legitimate part of the holiday season – even if it doesn’t offer the traditional aspects of turkey, exchanging gifts or cozy wintry nights by the fire. On the contrary, for Die Hard fans, this is as traditional as it gets.